


I Can't Control How You See Me

by mcschnuggles



Series: A New Mask [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, CGRE - Caregiver/Age Regressor, Caregiver!Ann, Caregiver!Ryuji, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Misunderstandings, Regressing!Akira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcschnuggles/pseuds/mcschnuggles
Summary: On Monday, Akira arrives at school holding Ryuji’s hand. On Tuesday, he spends his after school time sitting in Makoto’s lap in the student council room. On Wednesday, Ann kisses his cheek goodbye. Thursday, Haru does the same. And on Friday, Mishima finally decides to do something about it.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira & Mishima Yuuki, Kurusu Akira & Sakamoto Ryuji & Takamaki Ann
Series: A New Mask [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040298
Comments: 36
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've broken my own rules and started a new wip, but in my defense I've been wanting to write this for a really really long time! Next chapters will be longer!

Mishima holds a great deal of respect for Akira.

It’s hard not to, when he basically saved the entire school.

But, especially recently, there are some things he can’t ignore.

The last thing Mishima wants to do is think negatively of his hero, but… the evidence doesn’t lie.

It’s no secret that Akira and his friends are close. That much if obvious just from looking at them. But lately—especially lately—everyone’s been that much more affectionate with him. It feels like every time he turns around, one of them is kissing Akira’s cheek or hugging him or dropping some sort of treat on his desk—but never in front of the others.

Akira only holds Ryuji’s hand when they’re walking to school together. He’ll only sit in Makoto’s lap when they’re alone in the student council room. He’ll only lean down to let Haru kiss his cheek when the hallways are basically empty. And all of these are accompanied with ever-alert glances in every direction, as if he’s always on the lookout for watching eyes.

The others seem less concerned. Not to say they don’t care, but it’s more general wariness than the defensive vigilance Akira keeps up.

If Mishima didn’t know better, he’d think Akira is romantically involved with all of them and not telling anyone.

He doesn’t want to think that way. He really, really doesn’t. But he’s seen how Akira reacts to when he’s alone with someone versus when he’s with everyone. Usually he’s separate. He keeps his distance, at least to the minimum degree anyone in their group can be separate. But the second he’s alone with someone, he’s twice as nervous and twice as affectionate. What else is Mishima supposed to think?

Regardless, he waits. He waits and waits until the evidence becomes irrefutable. He can discount random affection. After all, their group is tight knit, but the secrecy, the jumpiness, that can’t be explained away.

The final nail in the coffin is when he starts to ask around. While it was a risky maneuver, he ended up with two different people who could confirm a less-than-flattering depiction of Akira.

One found him and Makoto, the other him and Haru. Both in ridiculously intimate situations. Neither could be too specific, apparently both students had been either threatened or pled with enough to make them unwilling to elaborate. Still, he’s fairly certain he can fill in the blanks, even if he wants the truth to be anything but what he’s thinking.

It’s an unpleasant conclusion to come to. That Akira is two-timing all his friends. That his friends probably don’t even _know_ about the others. Were they just asked to keep their relationship lowkey and didn’t ask more questions?

He has to do this. For the Phantom Thieves. For the world. But most importantly, for Akira. To Mishima, it looks like the situation has already spiraled out of control, but if it goes on any longer, he can only imagine what would happen.

Ann is sticking close today. She does that some days, just hovers over him and doesn’t let anyone else close. Mishima has noticed the two of them renting DVDs together after days like this, so maybe it’s their date night?

Even as the final bell rings, she stays in her seat, talking to Akira in a soft voice. Part of Mishima wants to let it drop. But right when he’s starting to doubt his resolve, Ann gets a call.

She looks like she wants to hover, but she bids him a hasty farewell and rushes off. It must have something to do with her modelling.

Mishima forces his feet to move, forces his body to approach Akira’s desk. He reminds himself that he has to be brave. Akira has saved him more than once, so he might as well return the favor while he can.

“Akira?” he asks. “Can I… talk to you?”

Akira straightens up, suddenly fully alert. “Sure. Is this another request?”

Mishima shakes his head. “No, but it is an urgent matter.” He settles into Ann’s desk. Students are already pouring out, so it’s not like anyone’s going to linger just to eavesdrop. “Akira, I hate to think so poorly of you, but… I know what’s going on.”

Akira freezes. “What do you mean?” he asks, but it’s clear he already has an idea.

Mishima quirks his mouth. He doesn’t want to say it out loud. It feels uncouth, especially out in the open like this. “You know. With you and… the others.”

Akira still hasn’t moved, looking like a deer in the headlights.

Mishima can feel himself faltering. The last thing he wanted to do was frame this like a threat. He just wants to help. “It’s your business, clearly, but I can’t help but think this might blow up in your face, especially with so many people. Do they even know?”

Akira takes a shallow breath, drawing his hands up to his chest. He has a band-aid with dinosaurs on his index finger that he keeps picking at.

“I just think it’s a little selfish.” Mishima continues. “I mean, think of your friends. You can’t really want to put all of this on them. Everything will break down eventually, and someone’s going to get hurt.”

“And just what are you planning to do?” Akira asks.

It’s a challenge. There’s a flash in Akira’s eyes, the hint of subtle defiance Mishima saw in him challenging Kamoshida.

Mishima owes it to his friend to not let it get that far. “Well, if you won’t tell them, then I will. This is dangerous. The Phantom Thieves could dissolve, you could lose your support system.”

Akira physically recoils at those words. It’s not a big reaction, but it’s enough to know that his point has been made. After all, his goal isn’t to sit here and berate Akira for his life choices, or even make him feel bad.

It’s to stop him from making an awful mistake.

“Just… take some time to consider what I said, okay?”

Mishima rises out of Ann’s seat carefully, like he’s trying not to startle Akira. It strikes him how odd it is for that to even be a concern, considering who he’s talking to, but he proceeds with that same amount of caution.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” It comes out more like a question, and even then Akira doesn’t respond.

Mishima makes a hasty exit, praying he did the right thing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akira Protection Squad has logged on

Ryuji gets the sense that something is wrong the instant school lets out.

He’s in his usual spot, waiting for Akira. He’s not sure if it’s going to be a small day or not, but it never hurts to hang around when he can.

Mishima walks out of their class, Akira following him not long after. There’s something about the way Akira’s walking that immediately sets off alarm bells, prompting Ryuji to stand up a little straighter when Akira makes a beeline for him.

“Hey, what’s—” Ryuji cuts himself off when a desperate hand grabs his sleeve.

“Ryu.”

The name alone is enough to make Ryuji crumble. His eyes drop to the hand holding his arm, making note of the dinosaur band-aid that hadn’t been there at lunch. This didn’t have anything to do with Mishima, did it?

Ryuji turns, but Mishima is already long out of sight. It probably doesn’t matter anyway. Akira needs him now, and he can’t let himself get distracted.

“You wanna go home, lil guy?” Ryuji asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

No one’s close enough to overhear—people usually give a wide berth to the two most notorious delinquents in the school—but Ryuji is making it a habit to be a little quieter when Akira’s regressed. The last thing he wants to do is overwhelm the little dude, not to mention that he’d never be able to forgive himself if he was the reason Akira’s secret got out.

Akira nods. He keeps his head down, but Ryuji can still see how hard he’s biting his lip. “P’ease.”

Is it bad that part of him is relieved that Akira came to him? Honestly, when he made Akira promise to come to him, he never expected it to actually happen, but he’s so glad that’s the case. Especially now, when Akira looks so overwhelmed, it’s nice to know he’ll come to any of them at all.

“Sure thing. It’s pretty noisy here, yeah?” He takes Akira’s hand in his own, not caring how people look at them. Ryuji’s been facing down rumors for the last year, so he couldn’t care less if people see him holding hands with another boy.

They have to find some place private. Akira’s due for a full-scale breakdown if he already looks this bad, and Leblanc isn’t going to cut it. Trying as he is to hide it, Akira’s shaking and his eyes keep glossing over with tears. He needs some place he can cry without fear of being overheard.

Ryuji would take Akira back to his apartment, but his mom will be there and the walls aren’t exactly soundproof. Taking him to Futaba is also an option, though there’s no guarantee Boss won’t swing by for a minute or so to check on her.

Still, it’s the best option they’ve got, so Ryuji takes him onto the train to Yongen-Jaya. 

They’re able to snag a few seats away from anyone else. Sure, the usual students are on their ways home, but it’s fairly sparse considering the weather. They’re due for rain any moment now.

“I know.” Ryuji whispers, giving Akira’s hand a little squeeze. “We’re almost home free. Whaddya wanna do when we get home?”

Akira hums in thought. A distraction is a distraction, no matter how small, and Ryuji will gladly count his victories. “Ponyo?” he asks finally.

“Sure thing, buddy. All the Ponyo you want.”

“Guys?” a voice asks.

Ryuji looks up just as Ann maneuvers around a pair of girls and takes the empty seat to Akira’s right. His free hand instantly grabs a handful of her jacket, and her face crumbles in turn. She cups her hand over his, her voice leagues softer as she asks, “What happened to this guy?”

“Dunno. When he came to me, he was already shut down. Where were you?”

“I got called to fill in for a shoot last minute, but it got cancelled because of the rain.” Her eyes flash to Akira, taking in the ruddy band-aid on his finger, the pinched panic written over his face. “Is he okay?”

Ryuji just shakes his head when a sudden idea strikes him. “Can we go to your place? It’s empty, right?”

“As always.” She can barely keep the annoyance out of her voice, and Akira goes still beside her. It’s not like he was moving in the first place, but Ryuji still notices the uptick of tension in his body.

“She’s not mad at you, buddy.” Ryuji says in a soft voice.

“You’re okay, no one’s upset.” Ann adds. When she and Ryuji meet eyes, he can tell she’s just as worried as he is. But considering they’re out in public, the most they can do is just hold his hands and ride out the rest of the trip in silence.

It’s always been weird to be at Ann’s place. It’s not _that_ big, but the sheer emptiness of the house is enough to make it feel as much. Not to mention that the lights are hardly ever on. Ryuji can tell what corners of the house Ann uses, as well as the ones that remain untouched, either in reverence of her absentee parents or general disregard for whatever they left behind.

The couch in the living room, however, is not one of those places. Ryuji should know; he’s crashed here a couple times. It’s huge and comfortable and placed directly in front of one of the biggest TVs Ryuji has ever seen. Ryuji and Ann lead Akira to the couch, flanking him on both sides.

“There you go, buddy.” Ryuji says. “All safe now.”

Akira takes a shuddery breath, his eyes glazing over with tears once again. It’s amazing that he was able to keep it together for as long as he did. Then again, Ryuji’s starting to think that going quiet and separating himself from the situation is just how Akira deals with immediate stress. “Mi—ish—mi—” He can’t get past those few syllables.

“Hey, hey, shh.” Ryuji soothes. God, if he wasn’t ready to throw hands before. He’d fight anyone who made Akira this upset, no matter how strong they were. “You don’t have to tell us right away. Take your time.”

“Just cry it out, baby.” Ann adds, brushing the stray curls away from his eyes.

Akira does just that, immediately dissolving into a fit of sobbing so intense that Ryuji’s heart _breaks_.

He ducks, dropping his forehead into his knees and shielding his head with his arms, making the way his back heaves with sobbing all the more apparent. Half-paralyzed by shock and worried out of their minds, Ann and Ryuji do the only thing they can do, which is rub his shoulders and pray that crying it out will help him.

Morgana pokes out of Akira’s bag, the sound too much for him to bear, and curls up around Akira’s feet. He doesn’t say anything, none of them do.

What would they even say? To heap on reassurances, saying that everything was going to be okay and shit, doesn’t feel right, especially when Akira’s crying so hard. Ryuji fights back the urge to check him over, just to make sure he hasn’t been injured. Ryuji isn’t ashamed to admit he cried the same way when Kamoshida broke his leg.

It takes a good ten minutes for Akira’s sobs to die down, and all the while Ann and Ryuji are hugging him and sharing _terrified_ glances over his head. Big or little, he’s never cried this hard for this long. Ryuji wonders, is this a special circumstance, or is it just more years of hiding his feelings coming to a boil?

Reluctant as she looks, Ann stands up. “He needs to drink something. I’m gonna get him a juice box. You want anything?”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Ryuji can’t help cracking a smile. “You got juice boxes in your house?”

Ann shoots him a look. “Yeah, I picked them up last weekend when we had our sleepover.”

Ryuji stops short, all teasing words dying on his lips. “Wait, you guys had a sleepover without me?”

“Yup!” she chirps, but there’s a victorious twinkle in her eyes. “No boys allowed except Akira.”

Ryuji pokes his lip out in an exaggerated pout. “No fair.”

Slowly, Akira sits up. His eyes are red-rimmed and puffy, but there’s an exhaustion in his face that can’t be matched. Poor guy must’ve cried himself out.

He blinks once, twice, like he’s trying to get his bearings. He watches Ann go, and then looks to Ryuji. There’s a helplessness in his eyes that Ryuji seldom sees from him, a silent statement. _The world is too big for me to handle and I need you to make my decisions for a bit_.

“Alright, c’mere.” Ryuji stands and rolls his shoulders. “Let’s go see Sissy, yeah?”

Akira perks up a little once he realizes what’s being offered, holding his arms out. Ryuji is more than happy to oblige.

Admittedly, Ryuji’s been doing a little more weight training than normal to build his upper body strength for this exact purpose. He’s noticed Akira watching little kids get picked up once or twice and thought he might want to be held like that as well. Good to know he was right on the money.

“Hey, wait for me!” Morgana cries. He hops up on the couch, his eyes calculating, but in the end it must not be worth it, because he follows behind them wordlessly. Good thing, because Ryuji thinks that might just be enough weight for the two of them to topple over.

Ann barely lets him in the kitchen before she’s scolding him. “Ryuji! You’re gonna throw out your back!”

“Relax. He weighs nothin’.” Ryuji gives Akira a little bounce to prove his point, which manages to get a small smile and a sniffle out of Akira.

Ann rolls her eyes, spearing the juice box in her hands with a straw. “Drink, okay?” she says, passing the juice box over to Akira. “Otherwise you’ll shrivel up into a prune!”

She’s joking, but her words go mostly ignored. Even if he’s not actively crying, Akira is very much lost in his own head. Ryuji has seen this from him before, but for once he isn’t sure what to do. Usually he just needs to be loud and cheerful, enough to prompt Akira out of his shell, but those tactics won’t fly today.

Ann and Ryuji share one more helpless look, which this time includes Morgana.

“Poor baby.” Ann strokes at Akira’s hair. “I’m guessing he doesn’t have any of his comfort items.”

“He doesn’t.” Morgana confirms. He’s perched himself on the counter, right in Akira’s line of sight. Ryuji caught him making funny faces to try and make Akira smile when he thinks Ryuji and Ann aren’t looking.

“And we can’t swing by Leblanc with him looking like this.” Ryuji says.

Akira no longer looks like the picture of misery, but he could still use some cheering up. Boss would sniff out how he’s feeling from a mile away, and one of them dropping by alone would only work to raise _more_ suspicion. If anything, they need to help him get his mind off of whatever’s bothering him.

“I’ve got an idea.” Ann says after a moment. She taps Akira’s nose, trying to elicit a smile that won’t come. “Keep Ryuji out of trouble for me, okay?”

“Let’s go wait in the living room.” Ryuji suggests.

“Is your back already giving out on you?” Morgana teases.

“Hey, give me a break! I just started weight training.”

He sets Akira down gently, careful not to break their hug. Ann returns a few moments later with a shoebox full of nail polish. Akira’s eyes immediately go wide, and that’s how Ryuji knows her plan was a success.

“Would you like that?” she asks, stroking his hair. “If I made your nails all pretty?”

“Mm-hmm.” It’s the first verbal response Akira has given since they got off the train, so Ryuji considers it a victory.

They sprawl out on the floor, with Ann’s collection of nail polish spread out off to the side. Akira sits in Ryuji’s lap while Ann paints his nails. He picks out a nice sparkly silver almost immediately, and then he sets aside a pink and a dark blue.

Morgana turns on the TV, just so they have some sort of background noise, and promptly curls up in Akira’s lap. Akira seems to appreciate the extra cuddles.

“What do you think?” Ann asks once it’s done. “I’m not very good at it yet, but maybe we could draw little stars on your nails too! Would you like that?”

It’s like pulling teeth to get him to talk most of the time, so they just try to ask him questions he can nod his agreement to. Usually dealing with regressed Akira involves a lot of guesswork and reading facial expressions, and now especially is no exception.

Akira picks up the bottle of pink nail polish, looking up at Ann pleadingly.

“Aww, you wanna do my nails now?” she guesses.

Akira nods, the faintest hint of a smile coming back to his face. He works carefully, his tongue stuck out in concentration as he works. Even Ann seems impressed that he’s able to keep the coating so even and neat.

“It looks so good! Thanks, lil guy!” Ann leans in and drops a kiss on his nose.

“Who’s the blue for?” Ryuji asks. “Are you gonna give Sissy stars?”

Akira looks to Morgana, his eyes so hopeful that even Morgana can’t help grinning.

“Sorry, kid, not even for you.” Morgana hops out of Akira’s lap, stretches, and trots over to the nearest heating vent to curl up in the warmth.

Ryuji knows what’s gonna happen next immediately, which is only confirmed when Akira turns to him, all puppy eyes and pouts. It’s not like he could say no, even if he wanted to. “My turn?” he asks, and Akira nods happily.

Ann puts away the rest of the polish while Ryuji gets his nails done. They both know they could probably get Morgana to agree with enough begging, but it may not be worth it considering Akira’s energy level. After all, Akira seems more than fine with Ann and Ryuji, and considering how he was doing beforehand, he’s probably too wrung out to do much more.

“Be careful with what you’re grabbing.” Ann warns him. “Nail polish smears like nobody’s business. In fact, don’t touch anything until it’s dry.”

“But you’ve been grabbin’ all sorts of stuff!” Ryuji protests.

“It’s a skill.” Ann says simply. Akira puffs up a little at her words. “And you haven’t learned it.”

“Fine.” Ryuji sighs, resigned, and loosely wraps his arms around Akira’s shoulders. “At least I got pretty nails.”

Without warning, Akira draws in a shaky, stuttering breath, and for a terrifying moment, Ryuji thinks he might burst into tears again. He and Ann share a quick glance, running strategy. What could they use as a distraction next? Or at this point, are distractions even going to work?

“Mishima.” Akira sputters out, completely unprompted. “He said—he said—”

“It’s okay.” Ryuji says. He tightens his hug. “Take your time.”

Akira gives another shaky sob that makes Ryuji equal parts worried and furious. If he wasn’t needed here, he’d be circling around Akihabara like a shark, waiting for Mishima to show his mug just so Ryuji could pound it into the pavement.

“He—he said he was gonna tell you guys.” Akira whimpers. At the first sign of trouble, Morgana trots back over and nuzzles against Akira’s side.

“About what?” Ryuji asks. “We already know ya regress.”

Akira’s lower lip quivers, telling Ryuji all he needs to know. It’s something big, at least from Akira’s perspective. The way Ryuji sees it, Akira is his best friend, and no aspect of his regression could be “too weird” for him to handle. But he knows Akira is self-conscious, and he won’t push it.

“It’s okay, dude. You don’t have to—”

“I bought a sippy.” Akira blurts out.

Out of all the things Akira could’ve said, Ryuji wasn’t expecting that. “Huh?”

Poor Kira. He looks like he’s going to crumble all over again. “I bought a sippy cup. On my way back from work.”

Ann coos her sympathies, rubbing a hand up and down his arm. “Why didn’t you let anyone know?”

“Momo knows.”

“What the hell, Mona?” Ryuji says. “You can’t just not tell us shit!”

“He made me promise not to tell!” Morgana says defensively.

Akira slips a hand protectively around Morgana, careful not to smudge his nail polish. “I thought you guys might not want me anymore cuz I keep slipping littler.”

“Bullshit.” Ryuji answers. “You’re stuck with us, dude.”

Akira gives a little smile that makes Ryuji’s heart swell with pride. Makoto and the others can tell him that he’s loved and accepted all day, but it’s Ryuji saying how he’s “stuck with them” that really drives the point home. It’s a joke response, but there’s an important distinction that Ryuji doesn’t think anyone else has picked up on.

“But that doesn’t make sense.” Ann points out. “How would he know about that?”

“Dunno.” Akira murmurs. He tugs at the collar of his shirt, and Ryuji knows that if he’s left to his own devices, he’s going to start chewing on it any second now. “Just got scared.”

Ann’s face softens, her hand falling against his knee. “I know, honey. That’s okay. You’re not in trouble or anything.”

“He didn’t specify who he was gonna tell either.” Morgana offers. “He was being vague.”

“What, you think he was fishin’ for information?” Ryuji asks.

“No, that doesn’t sound like him.” Ann says. “He wouldn’t do that, especially not with Akira.”

“Well, why the hell else would he be threatening to ‘tell us’ about somethin’?”

“He even had the nerve to call this guy selfish!” Morgana pipes up, which only serves to make Ryuji angrier.

“Oh, hell no!”

“Calm down!” Ann admonishes them. There’s a sharpness in her glare that has both Ryuji and Morgana shrinking back. “One of you getting worked up is bad enough.”

Ryuji sighs. “You’re right.” Akira isn’t flinching or anything, but it’s clear from the way he’s glancing between everyone that he’s uncomfortable with how the conversation is progressing. God, Ryuji hadn’t even thought about that. Stupid.

“He might not know.” Ann pauses, giving another sympathetic glance at Akira. “He probably doesn’t know. He must have just jumped to conclusions about something.”

“Like that’s any better.” Ryuji huffs.

“But that leaves something important.” Ann says. Despite her attempts to keep her voice even, the hard lines in her face give away she’s just as furious as Ryuji is.

“What?”

“What does Mishima think is going on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryuji and Morgana getting offended on Akira's behalf is my fave part tbh


	3. Chapter 3

Makoto is the one who sets up the meeting.

It makes the most sense for her to call for Mishima, considering she’s the student council president, but it still feels like she’s inviting him to his doom.

Futaba and Yusuke were in talks of coming up to Shujin themselves until Makoto talked them out of it. The air is threatening enough without all seven of them being here, and Yusuke and Futaba especially were furious when they heard what had happened from Morgana.

The Phantom Thieves have taken the past few days to spend time with Akira in pairs. First Ann and Ryuji, then Yusuke and Futaba, and finally Makoto and Haru. Akira had cried with all of them at least once, waffling between states of small and clingy and big and rejecting all contact. Despite their best efforts, he’s gotten it into his head that he’s selfish for wanting comfort, so it was Makoto’s plan to not overwhelm him with affection from everyone at once.

If she could’ve talked the others, especially Haru and Ryuji, out of coming as well, she would’ve, but they were rather adamant about joining her.

_If I don’t get time with our little one next he regresses, I will be reviewing my legal options_ , Yusuke warns in their group chat.

Makoto shakes her head and puts away her phone.

Mishima should be here any second. Ann was the least threatening option for who should go get him, but only because she’s one of the few who isn’t actively angry at him.

Akira sits beside Makoto, trying and failing not to look nervous. He’s not regressed today—he refused to be for this talk—but it’s clear that the uncomfortable atmosphere is getting to him.

Makoto gets his attention by resting her hand on his knee. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” she promises, but the softness in her voice only makes Akira prickle. “Right. Sorry.” He doesn’t like being fussed over, especially when he’s not making such a clear effort to stay big.

Thankfully, Ann and Mishima arrive soon. Out of the corner of her eye, Makoto sees Ryuji and Haru sit up a little straighter, and while Haru’s can be read just as her being polite, there’s no shaking the hostility Ryuji is giving off.

“Mishima-kun.” She tries her best to smile comfortingly. From the tension already hanging in the air, she knows she’ll have to be a comforting presence.

It’s not like she wants to be the level-headed one. When she heard about how shaken up Akira had been, how much he’d cried and needed comfort, she’d been ready to go to war too. And seeing him for herself, regressed and guilty and scared of being a burden, had only made her angrier.

But getting angry won’t get them anywhere, and while she doesn’t know Mishima as well as Ryuji or Akira, she believes it when Ann says Mishima wouldn’t do something like this without some sort of reason.

Her job, aside from keeping Ryuji and/or Haru from committing a murder, is to get to the bottom of this.

“Hello, Niijima-san.” Mishima awkwardly shuffles inside, taking the seat opposite her. “Is there a reason you needed to see me?”

“Yes, actually.” Makoto sits up a little straighter, forcing the calm professionalism she’s mastered over the years to take over. “It’s come to our attention that there’s something going on between you and Akira you wanted to tell us about, and we thought it best to get everything out in the open—to clear the air, as it were.”

“Oh.” Mishima’s eyes widen. He glances around the group, never making eye contact with anyone for too long. “With everyone?”

Makoto smiles. “I assure you there are no secrets between us. I’m sorry if this amount of people is overwhelming. A few of us can leave if that would make you more comfortable.” She kicks Ryuji’s ankle, shutting him up before he can even think about interjecting.

“No, it’s no problem at all.” Everything about his body language says the opposite, but he’s making an effort not to show it. Makoto wonders, is he nervous because of the amount of people, or is he beginning to realize whatever assumptions he had were false?

Makoto gestures for him to continue. “Then by all means, please tell us your concerns.”

“Well…” Mishima’s face burns. “It’s a little weird to say out loud, but I just thought that, well… Akira was cheating on all of you. With each other.”

Makoto blinks, trying to process this information. So they’d been noticeably affectionate enough to raise suspicions, but his first assumption was that they were all intimate?

“It seems like every other day I see one of the girls kissing him, so I just thought you all should know.” Mishima continues.

“…Yes, that’s exactly it.” Makoto says after a pause. She can make this work. She ignores the four pairs of shocked eyes in her direction, praying that Mishima thinks the others just didn’t expect her to admit to it. “We’re all dating him. You’ve got us. It’s a little taboo, so we’ve been trying not to tell anyone, but he’s not cheating on anyone. Akira especially is just embarrassed having so many people that love him. I’m sure you understand.”

“Good.” Mishima shoulders fall by a fraction. “Good.” His face breaks into an uneven smile, only exacerbated by his clear anxiety. “This is a little embarrassing. I’m afraid I jumped to conclusions.”

“No worries.” Makoto counts herself lucky no one jumped in. If she can just drive this home with a few more sentences, the five of them can laugh about this later. “We appreciate the concern. It’s really—”

“Makoto.” Akira speaks up from beside her, and the seriousness in his voice is enough to stop her in her tracks. “I don’t need you fighting my battles for me.”

“But—”

His hand finds her shoulder. And here she thought he’d been being quiet because he was nervous. “I know. I appreciate it. But I wanna tell him.” Akira says quietly. “He deserves the truth.”

“But—” This time Makoto cuts herself off. It feels like the most she can do, just stuttering out half-baked protests. The most pressing thought in her head is that Mishima _runs that Phantom Thieves forum_. If he had the desire to, he could easily crush them all.

“I trust him just as much as I trust all of you.”

Despite how clearly tense he is, Mishima puffs up a little at that. At the end of the day, all he really wants is Akira’s respect.

“Go ahead, then.” Makoto leans back.

“Mishima, I’m going to ask you to keep an open mind.” Akira begins. “My coping mechanism is a bit strange, but that’s what this is all about.”

“Are you kidding? You’re—” Mishima cuts himself off and continues in a lower tone. “You’re the Phantom Thieves. If anyone deserves to relax in any way they can, it’s you.”

Akira nods. “Thank you. Have you ever heard of age regression?”

Mishima pauses, his brow furrowed. After a small pause, he says, “No. I don’t think I have.”

“Well, that’s what I do. I fall into a younger headspace to get away from adult responsibilities, and everyone here has offered to look after me when that happens.”

Mishima’s face burns. “So all those times I caught the others being affectionate with you…”

“I was regressed.” Akira confirms. Makoto distantly notes that it’s probably the first time since Yui’s Palace that he’s said something like that out loud. “They’re like older siblings, in a sense.”

Mishima goes silent. His eyes flit from person to person, no doubt seeing his perceptions of them in a new light.

When he speaks, his voice is barely more than a croak. “Akira, I am so sorry. I had no idea. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

“Don’t tell anyone?” It’s meant as a joke, and maybe it comes across that way to Mishima, but Makoto can hear the underlying pleading tone clear as day.

“Of course. I’d never. There has to be something else I can do to help. Something I should at least be looking out for?” He looks to Makoto, and she realizes with a start she accidentally established herself as head babysitter.

“Uh, well, the biggest thing to look for is a band-aid on his finger.” Makoto says. “It’s his way of telling us he’s feeling vulnerable without having to say it out loud.”

If possible, that only makes Mishima look sadder. If Makoto had to guess, he must’ve remembered Akira was wearing a band-aid when Mishima confronted him. “I’m _so sorry_.”

“It’s okay.” Akira insists. He fidgets, drumming his fingers lightly against the table. It’s a sure sign he’s going to regress soon. Frankly, Makoto would be surprised if he made it out of the school without dropping. “You didn’t know.”

“Still, I can’t help feeling ashamed.” Mishima trails off, leaning forward a little. He scrutinizes Akira, and it’s only a few moments before another realization hits him. “Wait, are you… are you regressed?” He looks again to Makoto for confirmation. “Is that the right word?”

“Maybe.” Akira says, his lower lip jutted out in the tiniest pout.

“How could you tell?” Ann asks.

“He was making the same face last time.” Mishima trails off, and while he does look properly guilty, Makoto can’t think he’s being a little too hard on himself. “Should I leave? I don’t wanna make him uncomfortable or anything.”

“What do you think, Kira?” Haru asks. Her voice is lullaby-soft, as it usually is when she’s talking to Akira.

“Shima stays,” he murmurs, his voice barely loud enough to hear. “I trust him.”

It’s not much, but the small gesture still makes Mishima look a little more at ease.

“I’m gonna take this guy home then.” Ann announces, swooping in before anyone else can get a chance. Akira doesn’t say anything, but Makoto gets the feeling that he rather likes being fought over. It must help him feel wanted.

“Hey… Kira?” The name sounds foreign on his lips, but Mishima adapts quickly enough. “I really am sorry. I know it doesn’t mean much right now, but I still have your back no matter what.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Sweet as Akira is, he’s not gullible, and building his trust with Mishima again won’t be an easy task. He takes Ann’s hand. “See you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah.”

Mishima is half out of his seat, ready to make his own awkward departure when Haru pipes up. “Actually, Mishima-kun, would you mind staying for a bit? I’d like to talk with you in private, if that’s alright.”

“Actually…” Makoto’s mind races for a decent excuse. The last thing she wants is Mishima alone with any of Akira’s caregivers, even if they have had time to calm down. She’s still upset too, so she gets it, but at the same time, holding onto this anger is only going to make things worse in the long run.

“I’ll stay with her just in case.” Ryuji volunteers, a sentiment which does not inspire confidence.

“I’ve got this.” Makoto replies, none too subtly pushing him out the door. He gets half a protest before Ann tugs him away by the back of his blazer, letting Makoto shut the door behind him.

Mishima looks much more at ease now that there are only three of them.

“I’m sorry, I know we’ve never talked before, and I would hate to think we’ve already started on the wrong foot.” Haru says. Her voice is calm enough, but Makoto knows better than anyone that that doesn’t mean anything. “I won’t waste your time with formalities, but the thing is that Akira is very self-conscious about his regression. I know that none of your actions thus far have been intended to hurt him, but I think it’s important to emphasize that you’ve hurt him regardless.”

“I know. I apologize.”

Haru nods. “Apologies are a good start, but I believe actions would speak much louder. It’s easy to tell Akira he’s accepted, but it’s better when you _show_ him he’s accepted. If you’d like, I could make you a list of his favorite treats. I promise you, he’s not a hard baby to please.”

“No need.” Makoto says. “I’ve got my notes right here.”

Haru beams. “Excellent!”

Makoto takes a second to rifle through her notes. It’s probably not a good idea to keep a paper trail, but it helps Makoto keep things straight. And it’s not like she’s referring to anyone by name. The closest she has is the nickname guide scribbled in the margins, but other than that it just looks like she’s taken notes for a kid she had to babysit.

“Here’s what I’ve gotten together on his favorite snacks and drinks.” Makoto says, sliding the notebook across the table.

Mishima skims over everything, nodding to himself. “I can do that.” He dares a glance up. “Thanks, you guys. I promise that I’ll do everything I can to help the Phantom Thieves, but also everything I can to help my classmates as well.”

Makoto finally lets herself relax back into her chair. “That’s very reassuring to hear.”

“I would have to agree.” Haru stands and walks around the opposite side of the table, but why only becomes clear when she grabs Mishima by the scruff of his neck and nearly lifts him out of his chair. “Also if you make him cry like that ever again, I’ll crush you like a bug. Farewell! And thank you for being so understanding!” She leaves without another word.

“She doesn’t mean it.” Makoto says, even though there’s no doubt in her mind Haru wholeheartedly means it. “Like everyone else, she’s just protective.”

“I understand.” Mishima replies. He’s smiling, but it’s clearly a fight to school the fear out of his expression. “And I wasn’t kidding about trying to make it up to him. To all of you.”

“The fact that you’re making the effort is more than enough. Give them all some time, especially Ryuji, and it’ll be like nothing even happened.” Makoto thinks for a moment. “Maybe you’d like to join us on a homework day or a movie day sometime? Of course, I’d have to ask Akira first, but he and I were planning on a trip to the planetarium if you’d like to come along?”

It’s not much, but it’s the only olive branch she can extend. Mishima seems to realize that too. His face softens, and for the first time since he walked into the student council room, he looks genuinely grateful. “I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again on "little moments I can't stop thinking about," my favorite bit is Yusuke threatening to sue if he doesn't get Kira time


End file.
